Process and Impact of Colonialism based on Picturing a People: George Johnston, Tlingit Photographer

Process and Impact of Colonialism based on Picturing a People: George Johnston, Tlingit Photographer

It is often argued that a picture in worth thousands of words and such a lot can be communicated through still images. From looking the origins of humanity through rock art to the current state of affairs where people prefer to share images than words, it is clear that pictures remain vital to human interaction and communication. In this essay, the essence of using pictures to communicate a specific language is best brought out in the documentary Picturing a People: George Johnston, Tlingit Photographer (1997). The documentary follows the story of George Johnston and his efforts to shoot pictures of his people during the 1920s and afterwards. 

Born an Inland Tlingit of Yukon Territory Johnston would go on to leverage the lucrative fur trade to get a camera which he would document the life and times of his people during periods of various changes. Firstly of, he would capture life before encroachment from the whites, secondly, he would capture the changes that came with colonialism and lastly, he would document how indigenous communities were impacted by colonialism. The main focus, therefore, is exploring the colonialism and its impact on local communities with a focus on the Inland Tlingit people who are featured in George Johnston’s photography. 

The colonial process and its impact in Yukon Territory begins during the 1930s following a major onslaught of missionaries around that period as well as the onset of the Second World War. This would thus mark a major change in the lives of the Tlingit people even as they tried to survive amidst changing policies aimed at supporting the war effort. Two things come to light in the documentary, for starters, the colonialism began with missionaries, before official territories and administration would be set up and reinforced. Secondly, the arrival of white administration meant limited movement and access to resources as well as legal representation. Having been previously isolated from contact and interaction with the whites, the Tlingit people had been spared from the many pandemics that had ravaged many other parts of the world. As a result, the Tlingit would suffer major loss of lives from diseases such as measles and chicken pox (Thornton, 2000). 

To capture the devastations of colonization and the World War II, the video highlights, a haunting photograph where children are playing a “funeral” with various props (National Film Board of Canada, 2014). This image, thus appears to be a commentary on the painful plight that local people were going through at the time of war and colonialism. The interviews and dramatization that take place in the documentary also provide crucial insights into the experiences of local people even as they were colonized. Another notable aspect that is notable from the photographs shown is the fact that there was aa major cultural erosion even as the indigenous people lost their way of life. As their livelihoods were plundered by American soldiers, and mistreated the locals, many had to adopt new ways of life in order to survive.

The narratives, images and stories captured in the film went on to help document and preserve Tlingit way of life and culture as well as the pain, exploitation and suffering that they underwent following American imperialist expansion as well as the atrocities that came with the Second World War. Of great significance, however, is the fact that the Johnstons photographs would go on to serve as an inspiration for a much younger Tlingit generation. In reconnecting with their culture and ways of life through the photographs they would go on to reclaim their identity and went on to successfully campaign for successful self-rule during the 1970s (Thornton, 2000). 

In summation, this particular film serves to highlight the fact that society is gifted with individuals that possess exceptional skills of reflection and insight on the fundamental dynamics of society and culture. In capturing those photographs by George Johnston have helped in preserving history and culture for future generations. More importantly, however, is that through the images presented and the stories captured therein that contemporary society is able to glean crucial aspects about history and how they have impacted society. In the case of the documentary, the major takeaway relates to the process and impacts of colonialism among the Tlingit community in Yukon Territory. 

References 

Thornton, T. F. (2000). Picturing a People: George Johnston, Tlingit Photographer. American anthropologist, 102(1), 155-156. 

National Film Board of Canada. (2014, September 22). Picturing a people: George Johnston, Tlingit photographer. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.nfb.ca/film/picturing_a_people_george_johnston/